1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrical connector that can be mounted on a circuit board for making mutual electrical connections with another circuit board, card or electronic device, etc., that is disposed on a top side of the electrical connector.
2. Summary of the Prior Art
Examples of connectors of this type are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. HEI 6-68941 and Japanese Patent Application Kokai No. HEI 8-162227. The board-mounted connector includes a housing and a plurality of contacts carried by the housing. Each of the contacts has a part that is supported in the housing, a connecting part that extends on one side of the supported part for surface-mount attachment to a circuit board, and a contact part which is used to make electrical contact with a mating body such as a card or other connector device. The contact part includes a portion that provides an elastic force in order to make elastic contact with the mating body placed on the top side of the connector.
In recent years, smaller size and lower height have been required in connectors of this type. Although the connectors disclosed in the above-mentioned patents have shapes that satisfy these requirements to some extent, it is difficult to obtain a sufficient spring elastic force in the contact parts of the contacts. Therefore, requirements for a further reduction in size and in height (an engaged height of 1 mm or less, e.g., approximately 0.8 mm) cannot be met. Thus, a problem to be solved is how to provide a board-mountable connector that can provide a sufficient elastic force while achieving a small size and a low height.
This problem is solved by a board-mountable electrical connector according to claim 1.
The invention is a board-mountable electrical connector comprising a housing which holds a plurality of contacts in a row. Each of the contacts includes a supporting part that is secured to the housing, a connecting part disposed at one end of the supporting part for connection with a circuit board, and a contact part disposed at an opposite end of the supporting part for electrical contact with a mating body. The contact part extends from the supporting part with successive portions including, first, a downward-facing projection adjacent to the supporting part, a projecting shape extending upward to an apex and then downward to a bent part at a forward end of the contact part, and an arm part extending upwardly and rearwardly from the bent part to a pair of contact projections which can make electrical connection with the mating body. The contact projections are disposed rearwardly of the apex of the projecting shape.